Mike AlgerChannel 2 News
Put Sunday, 6:30 pm on your calendar. The path of totality of the eclipse stretches from Eureka, California, to Lubbock, Texas… and we here in Reno are almost directly in the middle.
The rest of the United States will see a partial solar eclipse.
An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is at its farthest distance from Earth in its monthly orbit. At this time, the moon appears smaller than the sun, covering only 94% of the sun's disk.
The sun will appear as a bright ring, or annulus, around the dark silhouette of the moon.
No matter where you view from, you'll need a low western horizon to see this sunset eclipse.
The exposed ring of sunlight will be bright and you'll need to view using solar-safe telescopes or projection methods.
Though only 6% of the sun's surface will be visible at greatest eclipse, it will still be 60,000 times brighter than the full moon and will damage your eyes if you look directly at it.
For more information on the eclipse, go to http://bit.ly/wmEWES
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Several locations in Nevada are welcoming visitors to viewing parties and events. Reno is one of the few U.S. cities directly in line with the eclipse's path, which will start in the Biggest Little City at 5:15 p.m., be at its greatest at 6:31, and end at 7:37. (check out this photo guide to see what to expect)
The Fleishmann Planetarium, located on the University of Nevada campus in Reno, is hosting a free viewing party from 5 to 7 p.m. at its MacLean Observatory. Visitors can bring a picnic dinner or purchase food at nearby restaurants. The Nevada Historical Society will be hosting a free viewing party at the University of Nevada Redfield Campus on the south end of Reno. Visitors are invited to gather from 4 to 7 p.m.
The eclipse will also cross the southern tip of Pyramid Lake, and the absence of light pollution and the mystique of the ancient lake will provide the adventurous types an unforgettable view of the eclipse. The town of Nixon is about 45 miles northeast of Reno and has full services. Take a short drive out to the lake, and just look up into the sky around 5:30 p.m.
Great Basin National Park, near the border with Utah and about four hours north of Las Vegas, will have 10 telescopes set up at its visitors center in Baker, Nev., from about 3 p.m. and will broadcast live video of the eclipse on a large screen.
Nevada's state parks along the eclipse path are also great places to spend the day and then witness the unusual phenomenon in the evening sky. Check out Fort Churchill near Fallon, Berlin-Ichythosaur right in the middle of Nevada and Cathedral Gorge on the eastern edge of the state for ideas on where to view the eclipse.
Las Vegas is just off the eclipse path, but visitors to Las Vegas can join a viewing party at the College of Southern Nevada Planetarium from 4 p.m. The planetarium will present "Secrets of the Sun" in the theater at 4:30 p.m. and telescopes will be set up at the Student Observatory for public viewing. The Astronomy Store will be selling solar-viewing glasses for $2.50 to make viewing of the eclipse safe for the eye.
The best viewing for those in Las Vegas will be by taking an excursion to Grand Canyon West. Visitors will experience one of the most dramatic solar events at one of the planet's most breathtaking landmarks. The eclipse occurs near sunset at approximately 7:30 p.m. Visitors that mention "eclipse" while booking online by calling 1-888-868-9378 will be given 10 percent off any Grand Canyon West package.
During the day leading up to the event, visitors can enjoy all three viewpoints at Grand Canyon West including Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch and Eagle Point where they can walk the Skywalk, watch Native American performances, tour a Native American Village and more. There are limited overnight cabins available at the Hualapai Ranch, so those visitors looking for accommodations after the eclipse will need to book as soon as possible because it is first come, first serve.
Nevada's dark night skies are also a perfect place to see the transit of Venus on June 6. Check out the town of Tonopah any night of the week, all year long, for the best stargazing in the United States.
For more information on adventures to be had in Nevada, visit www.TravelNevada.com.
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You can get special eclipse glasses at Fleischmann Planetarium. They are expected to get a shipment sometime Friday. You might want to call ahead since they sell out quick. For more information, call (775) 784-4812.
The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum is sold out of glasses, but they are offering classes on how to build your own pinhole viewer. For more information, call (775) 786-1000 or go to http://www.nvdm.org/
We also called Walmart and Target. They are not selling glasses.
Viewers are also telling Learning Express in Reno is selling glasses. Call ahead to reserve a pair. For more information go to http://bit.ly/azBSMv Two stores are listed. They're expected to get another shipment Friday morning.
Lastly, if you cannot buy any, there is an information website on how to create your own eclipse viewer - http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/how.html
